Shaft hanger



R. H. BOWEN Sept. 9, 1924.

SHAFT HANGER Filed Sept. 1. 192] 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR: Russell 17. Bow/1, B? p ATTORN s.

WITNESSES.-

Sept 9, 1924. 1508,4106 R. H. BOWEN SHAFT HANGER Filed Sept. 1 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

RweZZHBoz/I/en,

ATTORNEYS.

the lines VIIVI1 and VIIIVI:I I in Patented Sept. 9, 1924.

RUSSELL H. BWEN,IF rnrnenrmrnra, PENNSYLVANIA, assrenon TO THE AMERI- CAN 'PU'LLEY'COMEBANY, or rnrnenntrrrre. PENNSYLVANIA, a CORPORATION or EEN'NSYLVANIA.

SHAFT HANGER.

f' e Application filed September v1, 1921. SeriaINo. 497,780.

To all whom it may concern; a

Be it known that I, RUssELL BOWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia,.in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, "have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft Hangers, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 7

My invention relates to shaft hangers and the like, andis especiall concerned with shaft hangers of sheet metal type. Though my invention is to some extent applicable to other hangers, my principal aim, nevertheless, is to secure advantages that are greatly enhanced by sheet metal construction,- such as combined strength, rigidity and lightness; facility, simplicity, quickness, and economy-in manufacture; and a generally neat and pleasing appearance. Other advantages that can be secured through my invention include excellent adaptation in strength of the various parts of the hanger to the stresses to which they are subjected in'servioe; stiffness of the hanger, andexemption from working or loosening of its parts in service; and an almost entire freedom from crevices or openings liable to catch and accumulate lint, dirt, oil or grease that would add to the fire hazard in case of a hot box at a shaft bearing.

How these and still other advantages may be realized through :my invention will appear from my description hereinafter of the best embodiments known to me. y

In the drawings, Fig. I is a perspective view of a preferred form of hanger constructed in accordance with myinvention. Figj This a side or edge view of the hanger shown in Fig, I, from the leftof Figs. I and III. i

Fig. III shows a vertical longitudinal sec-.

tion through the hanger at right angles to; Fig."II, taken as indicated by the lilne" iii-air in Fig. 1r,

Figs. IV, V, and VI are in the main trans verse sectional v1e1ws,'talt'enas indicated by the correspondingly numbered section lines in Fig, HI, illustrating the configuration *and construction of the; hanger legs and of the cross brace.

Figs. VII and V III are fragmentary.

cross sectional views, taken as indicated by Fig. III, illustrating the mounting of some ings is of what may be termedthe Fstr'addling type, comprising a pair ofp'rincipal strengthmembers 2, 2 with anopening 3 between them for the shaft and its bear,- lng (not shown) that are to be supported. (See Figs. IIII.) The hanger is shown in the upright position in which shaft hangers are commonly'used; and for the .sakeof convenience and brevity, I have hereinafter (as a rule) described it in terms especially applicable to that position. It will be understood, however, that the hanger may be used in other positio-ns,in reference to which, ofcourse,some of the terms here em ployed might seem less appropriate.

As shown, thestrength members 2, 2 on either side of the shaft (when in place) are hollow, and are in the form of downward tapering legs or standards with feet 4: at their upper ends for attaching the hanger to a floor or roof beam (not shown), or to I any other supporting structures. Between the side legs 2, 2, is a cross-brace member 5 having the general form ofa transverse ver tical web; and also a bottom member or yoke 6, which isreadily detachable from the lower ends ofthe legs to facilitate introduction of the shaft into the shaft opening 3. For supporting the shaft andits bearing in the opening 3 and maintaining proper alignment, the hanger is provided with upper and lower supports 7 and 8 eXtending vertically through the transverse members 5 and 6, as well as with lateral supports, 9,

9, extendingtransversely througli the legs. 2, 2 at either side of the opening 3. These bearingesupports 7, 8 and 9, 9 have the.

usual form of set-screws, and are provided with ad u'st1ng nuts 10', 11 and 12, 12' mount-- ed on or in the various members ,5, 6' and 2,

2 as hereinafter described,as well as with lock or clamping nutsi3, 14 and 15,15 bearing against the outer sides of saidmembersthrough interposed washers 16. As shown,

the side legs 2, 2 are only approximately vertical, sloping outward and diverging somewhat from their lower ends toward their upper ends, so as to give the hanger an amply broad transverse base atthe feet 4.

The legs,2, 2 are hollow, as already men-- tioned. For convenience and brevity, they may be regarded as facing toward the shaft (not shown) supported by the hanger, and various portions of their contours or walls (see Figs. I, III, IV to VII) may be correspondingly distinguished as backs a, sides 6, and bellies c. (The use of the word sides or flanks in this leg anatomy to designate the leg surfaces to right and left in Fig. II must not be confused, of course, with the use of sim lar terms, e. g., side legs and sidewise, to express the relation of parts at right and left of Figs. I, III, and IV in reference to the hanger as a whole and to the position of the shaft and bear ing supported by it.) Preferably (though not necessarily), the legs 2, 2 are closed or virtually soat least from the hanger feet 4: to the lateral bearing-supports 9, 9, and even beyond said supports, between them and the bottom member 6. Preferably,

also, each of the legs 2 is formed of single piece of sheet metal pressed or bent to shape with edges in proximity or abutting along the bellies 0. As shown, the legs 2, 2 are of round tubular form substantially from end to end. They are not truly circular, however, but more nearly elliptical, with the major axes of the ellipses extending from right to left in Fig. II, so as to give the legs and the hanger ample strength in that d rection.

Referring, now, more especially to Figs. I, III, IV and V, it will be seen that the hanger comprises a web plate 20 that extends through the bellies 0 of the legs 2, 2,

above the shaft opening 3, into their interiors. An intermediate portion of the plate 20, between the legs 2, 2, is of relative narrow vertical width, and forms the web-like cross-brace 5, which interconnects the legs and serves to strengthen and stiffen the hanger as a whole sidewise (i. e., to right and left in Figs, I and III). Within and adjacent the legs 2, 2, the plate 20 w'dens vertically to form longitudinal internal webs 21, 21 in the legs that extend Sllfllw ciently below the transverse member 5 to reinforce and stiffen the legs (sidewise of the hanger, in their common plane) below said member, as well as at their junctions with it. They also brace the legs 2, 2 relative to the member 5, and reinforce and stiffen the hanger as a whole sidewise. In a downward direction, these webs or strength members 21, 21 extend substantially to (i. e. as far as) the lateral bearing supports 9, and then on past them to the lower ends of the legs. This they do in various ways, as will become apparent from further description.

Referring especially to Fig. III, it will be seen that the portions of the plate 20 (including its up and down extensions in the legs 2, 2) which constitute the webs 21, 21 extend clear to the backs a of the legs, and thus resist all inward forces tending to bend or flatten the legs, or to rock them (so to speak) about the ends of the cross-brace 5 or about the feet 4. As shown, moreover, each web 21 is connected or attached to its leg back a in the line of meeting, by means of rivet protuberances or tongues 21 and 21 on the edges of the plate 20 that project through elongated openings or slots in the backs and are headed over. In the present instance, there are two such connections or attachments: one, 21 beside the shaft opening 3, just below the lateral support 9; and the other, 21 above said opening 3, about on a level with the upper edge of the brace-web 5 at its narrowest. Such attachment greatly fortifles the resistance of web and leg to inward forces such as mentioned above, s nce it makes the leg back a virtually a flange of a T-beam having a web 21 as its web. This same attachment also enables the web 21 to reinforce the resistance of the leg 2 against outward forces tending to bend or rock it, and especially to the side thrust of the lateral bearing-support 9 of the leg in question: for, in the first place, this attachment makes the leg back a flange of a T- beam, as before; in the second place, the mere attachment of leg back to web beside the shaft opening 3 (especially at and ad jacent the bearing-support 9) enables this portion of the leg to pull on the web and so add the bending resistance of the web to its own; and in the third place, the attachment of log back to web above the shaft opening 3 in addition to its just-mentioned attachment lower down makes the intermediate portions of leg and web virtually chords of asort of truss. The action in the lower portion of the leg 2 just described is, of course, virtually paralleled in its upper portion, in so far, that is, as the upper por tion is affected by outward forces.

Referring, now, especially to Figs. III and IV, it will be observed that the web 21 in each leg 2 is secured and connected or attached to the leg belly 0 adjacent the brace 5, by means of rivets 22 extending through the web outside the leg 2 proper and through external longitudinal belly flanges 23 formed by outward extensions of the sheet metal of the two halves of the belly wall, one such flange at either side of the web. It will be readily appreciated that this belly attachment of the plate 20 coacts with its attachment to the leg back a, at any and every point to resist very effectually any force tending to rock the leg about the end of the cross-brace 5. h Ioreover,disregarding the bottom member 6,it will be seen that this belly attachment and the attachment 21 of the leg back a to the web 21 above the shaft opening 3 make the portions of the web and of the leg from above the shaft opening downward virtually cantilevers fixed at their upper ends, (The like is true, of course, mutatis 'rnutandis, of the upper portions'of leg' and web.) As shown, the webs 2'1, 21 extend from :back to belly in the legs '2, '2 for the greater portion of the length of the legs. Also, the belly flanges 23, 23 are shown as extending (with lessening Width) downward from the crossbrace 5 to the yoketi, so that they themselves help to strengthen and stifi'en'the legs .2,:2 at the sides of the shaft opening. If desired, the attachment :of webs to bellies may be supplemented or made stronger by spot-welding or the like. Extending from back to belly in the legs 2, -2 as they do, the webs 21,121 reinforce and stiflen the legs against exite-mal crushing, and also against the collapse of back on belly :;(or vice versa) in volved "the be-ndi-ng of a tube. ThllSffihB legs -2, 22 are reinforced and stifiened bythe webs 21, 21 in many ways, especially at and above the sides of the shaft iopeningifi andiat the upper corners of said openings, where the bending stresses from the side thrust of the lateral bearing supports 9, 9 on the legs are most severe. The eiiectiveness in this regard of thedownwarld web extensions '21, 2111f the :plate 20 :from their-connection or attachment to the across-brace 5 and to the leg bellies .nra'bove the shaft opening 3 well below the eased and rounded upper corners of this opening deserves especially to be noticed, since they 'sustain or resist the side thrust -.cantilever-w-ise independently (i. e. supplementarily) of the intermediate cantilever'strengthof the legs 2, '2. The importance 'of the stmiotural continuity of the webs '21 '(regardless of their integral material continuity) in reference to their reinforcing action in various ways 'will readily be apparent.

Referring, now, more especially to Figs. I, III, 1V and V, it willbe observed that the rplate'20 and its web portions 21, 21 are in the present instance arranged centrally with reference to the legs 2, 2, substantially in their common axial or median plans. As shown, also, the web plate 20 with its portions 21,21 are laminated or Iflllllll-I'PlY, being composed of "a couple of superposed metal sheets 30, 30. In the portion' o-f each leg 2 where its bearing-support 9 is located, thesheet metal 30 forming the web 21 is 10' ca-lly displaced laterally, by joggling, to ac commodate the screw member 9. In this way, the plies 30, 30 are separated for a shaft in the hanger opening 3,:+there being,

of course, a corresponding opening in-the leg back a. In :the leg "belly 0, there is a wider and correspondingly elongated opening 3:32 adaptedto admit the'support-adjust .lng nut 12 to seat againstthe. inner :o'r

belly ed es 'oi the -=web :21, 1t-l11S opening 32 being formed by'everting the belly walls a (and especially their flange portions 23., 23" "to eitherisi'de :sufioiently to admit the nut 12 between the everted {portions this mounting, the nut 12 is "notlonly :concealed and effectually held against turning by the sides 23 of the opening 32, but is allowed ':to transmit, the side itlrrust or the screw 9 directly :to =.the downward web ex-. tension .21 of the plate :20. This thrust the web 21, in turn, transmits to thezle-gback a, and thus distributes to and shares with the leg walls. Also, the web portions 50 at the opening 31 prevent the leg .2 ironi being flattened or "collapsed by clamping between the adjusting :nut .12 and' th'e lock Annt Referring tQiEigs. II, 2111, and V11, it will be-seen that inthe .cross brace web 15 the sheet metal Web plies 50,, 30 are locally separated at 35., llflr'lihe way of. outward em bossing or -joggling,-to ai forid 'a somewhat elongated vertical opening or slot 36 forthe accommodation :of the upper *bearingrsup-j port 7 betvveenthe'plies, and that theadjusted nut lO is channelled "as at 37 esoras to be seated a-nd held against turning on the edges of the portion 35.. ail-so it will be seen that the web 5 isv itself reinforced and stiflened by opposite "outward embossments of (its plies, in the torm of :rounded or circular transverse corrugations 38. I These corrugations 38 extend into the interiors of the legs 2, 2, and there terminate a little short "o f their bacl-:s"-c,-"the'=belly flanges 23, 23 of each leg being appropriately col"- rugated at 39 :tofit over the corrugations 38. These interfitting corrugations .38v and 39 serve as engagement means for align ing the web 5 in proper werticalwposition with'reference to the legs 2, 2.

The web :pliesi30, .30 may be spot-"welded to one another over part or allof their 1 area of contact. Also, their attachment to the leg "backs '0; may bra-reinforced or madestronger by electric welding or the like:

thus, for example, the rivet projections 21* and 21 may be 'welded inplace, or the outerwedges iof the Webs 21may bewelded to i the leg backs,-if preferred, ueven for theirwentire length.

Referring, now, to Figs. 1,11, III, and VIII, it will beobserved' thatithe bottom or yoke member 6 is of rounded, approximately circular cross section, is slightly :be'ntlor bowed downward, and may be formed of a metaltub'e. At either end, the aip'perwallis omitted "to afford anaopening for 'the (legend lO, and 'the side walls are extendediupward in the -form of rounded and .aperture'd' ears nor dugs il, .41. The' legen'ds .40 :.are lat erall y flattened somewhat as indicated at 42, and "areapiertured in correspondence with the ears 41 for-the :receptionof bolts 43 that detachably secure :tlreryoke 6. on the legends.

The lower vertical bearing-support 8- extends through an elongated opening or slot 44 in the lower wall of the yoke 6, and its adjusting nut 11 has a reduced or narrowed rectangular lower portion 11 that seats in a correspondingly narrow opening 45 in the top wall of the yoke 6, and thus holds the nut against turning.

Recurring, now, to the feet 4, it will be seen from Figs. I, II, III and TV that they are of generally fiat rectangular form, but have outstanding tubular sockets 50 in which the legs 2 are received and expanded, as at 51, and also secured by some four rivets 52. The feet 4 are reinforced and stiffened with low, flat, hollow central bosses 53, that extend outward from the sockets 50 toward theouter ends of the feet, and have in them elongated bolt-holes 54; also by short hollow, tapering ridges 55 that radiate diagon ally (inward and sidewise) from the sockets 50 toward the inner corners of the feet. The feet 4 may be die pressed from sheet metal heavier, preferably, than the rest of the hanger, or may be drop-forged from suitable metal blanks. The upper ends of the legs 2 may b closed by thin cover plates 56 secured (as by spot-welding) over the bottoms (upper sides) of the feet 4; they are shown dished to fit into the bosses 53, and apertured in correspondence with the bolt holes 54. These cover plates 56 may conveniently be made by die-pressing thin sheet metal.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A sheet metal hanger comprising a hollow leg, with back, sides, and belly formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, reinforced and stiffened, sidewise of the hanger, by an internal longitudinal web extending from above the shaft opening of the hanger downward as far as the lateral bearing-support of said leg.

2. A sheet metal hanger comprising a 1101- low leg, with back, sides, and belly formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, reinforced and stiffened, sidewise of the hanger, by an internal longitudinal web extending from above the shaft opening of the hanger downward beside the same and attached to the back of said leg above said opening and pelow the lateral bearing-support of said -eg.

3. A sheet metal hanger comprising a hollow leg, with back, sides, and belly formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, a transverse member extending laterally from said leg for sustaining a bearing sup port, and a longitudinal web extending from above the shaft opening of the hanger down in the leg below said transverse member sufficiently to reinforce and stiffen the leg sidewise of the hanger below said member, as well as at its junction therewith.

4. A sheet metal hanger comprising a hollow leg, formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, a transverse member extending laterally from said leg for sustaining a bearing support, and a longitudinal web extending from above the shaft opening of the hanger down in the leg below said transverse member sufficiently to reinforce and stiffen the leg below said member and having portions riveted into the leg back.

5. A sheet metal hanger comprising a hol low leg, with back, sides, and belly formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, a transverse member extending laterally from said leg for sustaining a bearing support, and a longitudinal web attached to said transverse member extending down in the leg below said transverse member sufficiently to reinforce and stiffen the leg below said member.

6. A sheet metal hanger comprising a hollow leg, with back, sides, and belly formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, and an internal longitudinal web attached to the leg belly above the shaft opening of the hanger extending down beside the shaft opening sufficiently to resist the side thrust of the lateral bearing support of said leg independently of the intermediate strength of the latter.

7. A sheet metal hanger comprising a hollow leg, formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, a transverse member extending laterally from said leg for sustaining a bearing support, and a longitudinal web attached to said transverse member extending down in the leg below said transverse member sufficiently to resist the side thrust of the lateral bearing support of said leg in dependently of the intermediate strength of the latter.

8. A sheet metal hanger comprising a hollow leg, with back, sides, and belly formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, reinforced and stiffened, sidewise of the hanger, by an internal longitudinal web extending from above the shaft opening of the hanger downward as far as the lateral bearing-support of said leg, and attached to both backand belly of said leg.

9. A sheet metal shaft hanger comprising hollow legs, with backs, sides, and bellie-s formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, reinforced and stiffened, above and at the sides of the shaft opening of the hanger, by a common interconnecting web plate extending through the bellies of the legs above said opening and having extensions downward into the legs for resisting the side thrust of the lateral bearing-supports of the hanger.

10. A sheet metalshaft hanger comprising hollow legs, with backs, sides, and bellies formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, reinforced and stifiened, above and at the sides of the shaft opening of the hanger, by a common interconnecting Web plate extending through the bellies of the legs above said opening and having extensions downward into the legs attached to the backs thereof at either side of said opening.

11. A sheet metal shaft hanger comprising hollow legs each formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, with a common interconnecting web plate extending and attached to the backs of the legs above the shaft opening of the hanger and sufficiently below the transverse interconnection formed by the plate to reinforce and stiffen the legs below such connection.

12. A sheet metal shaft hanger comprising hollow legs, with backs, sides, and bellies formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal, and a common interconnecting web plate extending and attached to the backs of the legs above the shaft opening of the hanger and sufliciently below the transverse interconnection formed by the plateto reinforce and stiffen the legs below such con nection, and also attached to the bellies of the legs.

13. A metal shaft hanger comprising round, hollow legs, formed of single pieces of metal and closed from the hanger feet to its lateral bearing-supports; and a common interconnecting web plate extending to the backs of the legs above the shaft opening, and thence downward against said backs to said bearing-supports.

14. A metal shaft hanger comprising round, hollow legs, formed of single pieces of metal and closed from the hanger feet to its lateral bearing supports; and a common interconnecting web plate extending through the leg bellies above the shaft opening of the hanger and having cantilever web extensions down into the legs suificiently below the transverse interconnections formed by the plate to reinforce the legs against bending collapse below such connection.

15. A metal shaft hanger comprising RUSSELL H. BOWEN.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, ANNA M. PETTERSON. 

